Find the Best Deals and Boost Your Consumer Smarts

Welcome to ConsumerSavvyTips.org! Whether you just want to know where to find the best deals… or you’re looking for information on how to avoid scams and keep your personal information safe… or you want to find the best credit card for you, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got it all.

Odometer fraud, i.e. rolling a used car’s odometer back to make it appear less used, is sadly common. Here’s how to avoid it.

Any car, even a used one, is a huge investment — so you definitely don’t want to fall for something as avoidable as odometer fraud. While most cars made in the last few years use electronic odometers that are harder to jigger, fraud is still an issue for cars with mechanical odometers.

Everyone can use some tax savings; and if you make below a certain amount of income, the Earned Income Tax Credit can make a huge difference.

Next time tax season rolls around, don’t forget about the Earned Income Tax Credit, or you may deprive yourself of substantial taxes savings — to the tune of as much as $6,000. That may very well mean the difference between writing a check to the IRS, or receiving a big refund.

Looking for an inexpensive hobby that’ll get you outdoors in the fresh air? Try butterfly watching.

Just about everyone who ever goes outdoors has done their share of butterfly watching. Maybe you like to sit on your porch on a spring evening, watching as they flutter their way from flower to flower; or you may have fond memories of pretending to fly with them as a child. Ah, to be a butterfly….

As handy as a power of attorney can be, you might someday find it necessary to revoke or cancel such a document. Here’s how to do so.

A while back, we took a look at the process of setting up a power of attorney — a durable legal instrument to allow someone else to handle your personal affairs and finances when you’re incapacitated or away from home. Well, it’s just as important to know how to revoke a POA when necessary.

A garage sale is a great place to find bargains, but an estate sale can be even better.

If you’re a savvy consumer looking for excellent deals on everything from dinnerware to fishing trophies, it’s hard to do better than an estate sale.

If you’ve never been to one, imagine the best garage sale you’ve ever attended, with all manner of things for sale — not just piles of clothes, baby toys, and all the other junk people want to get rid of. Then add the best elements of a public auction and flea market, mix thoroughly, and serve.

Pharmaceutical companies have added zinc to some cold remedies for years, but medical opinion has gone back and forth on whether it helps.

Zinc is a useful metal in industry, and of course skiers and others who spend a lot of time outdoors have been using zinc-based sunblock for ages. (That’s why pro skiers always have white smears on their noses whenever you see them on TV).

Herbal supplements may be perfectly natural, but they may not mix well with dental work.

Many people think that just because herbal supplements are all-natural, they don’t need to tell their health care professionals that they’re taking the herbs. Consider your dentist, for example. Some folks don’t even take them into account as medical professionals anyway, which in fact they are.